Fisher

Martes pennanti (Erxleben, 1777)

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Fishers are agile and speedy tree climbers but spend most of their time on the ground. They are quite solitary except during the mating season. Fishers hunt porcupines and can effectively control porcupine populations, which are known to damage timber crops by debarking and killing trees. Fishers are trapped and killed for their pelts.

Biological Information

Range:

Southern Canada southwards to (a) East coast to Tennessee, (b) Rocky Mountains to Utah, (c) west coast to Humboldt County and in Sierra Nevada to Inyo County, California

Habitat:

Mixed coniferous/deciduous forests

Status:

Rare; fisher populations in southern Sierra Nevada have been proposed as candidates for protection under the endangered species act

Diet:

Mostly rodents

Further information about this species may be found on the Animal Diversity Web page for fisher.